CREATIVE people in Blackbird Leys had plenty to crow about after going scarecrow crazy.

Residents made about 80 scarecrows and paraded them to the Holy Family Church in Cuddesdon Way, where they found music, a bouncy castle and plenty of food and drink.

The winning scarecrow was an effigy of Dougal from children’s television programme the Magic Roundabout, made by autistic students from the Oxford and Cherwell Valley College.

They won £75, which had been donated by Blackbird Leys Parish Council.

Russell Price, of the Holy Family Church, said: “In total, around 300 people turned up. It was a great community event and just shows what the Leys are made of.

“It was something we can all be proud of. Hopefully, it will happen again at some point.”

The project was launched to raise money for the Holy Family Church’s new roof, which lets water in during bad weather and will cost around £90,000 to restore. The money raised yesterday is still being counted.

The competition judges – MP for Oxford East Andrew Smith, Blackbird Leys Allotment Society secretary Reg Curnock and farmer Cyril Sellar – awarded the under-12s first prize to the Oxford Blackbirds football club for their representation of a player about to shoot.

Mr Price said: “It was extremely difficult for the judges. They took a long time to make a decision and were really very surprised at how ingenious some people had been.”

Second prize, £50, went to Alisha Smith and Tierney Chrystal, friends from Pegasus Primary School, who made an octopus scarecrow. Third place was awarded to the Bullnose Morris’s mechanic scarecrow and a cluster of cheerful scarecrows made by a group of residents from Campion Close.

Other entrants included gangsters, clergy, families and pirates.

Mr Smith’s special prize, for exceptional effort, went to the children of Strawberry Path.